2004 Versus 2009 – Howe Bad Can It Get?

13 Comments + Add Comment

• Maggie August 18, 2009 at 10:46 am

  How many core players were on the DL for an extended period of time in 2004? There may be many similarities, but I think the differences are pretty glaring.
• Shamsky August 18, 2009 at 11:06 am

  Looks like we’ve hit a new low again! We have had a boatload of embarrasing moments under this management. It’s time for a change.
• Dave August 18, 2009 at 11:28 am

  haha looks like May is our month.
• dyhrdmet August 18, 2009 at 12:49 pm

  I can’t envision Omar Minaya, at least, in his current role 5 months from now. Jerry I give a pass to because he’s playing poker with the big boys sporting a pair of duces.

  Sadly I wasn’t surprised by any of this (aside from the injuries – I surely thought we’d finish with about 75-80 wins fielding a “good team” on paper). It’s a pattern in Mets history that seems to repeat over and over after losing in the playoffs.
  • Joe D August 18, 2009 at 8:02 pm

    You hit the nail on the head. Our Mets frustration seems to be cyclical.
    • dyhrdmet August 18, 2009 at 8:49 pm

      I wrote about that on RememberingShea around the half way point (and I certainly realized it earlier this season).

      http://rememberingshea.blogspot.com/2009/07/pattern-of-bad-behavior.html
      • Joe D August 18, 2009 at 9:16 pm

        That was an excellent observation on the parallels you cited in your article. It pretty much explains this season and it doesn’t bode well for next season. We have a lot of work to do.
        • dyhrdmet August 18, 2009 at 9:22 pm

          thank you. it’s been a hard sell. rebuild, but the bigger thing is to sustain after you get back to the playoffs. that’s what makes the 1999 Bobby V team so good – they lost in the playoffs and made it back and made it further (though the 1999 team was a better team than 2000). they didn’t take it for granted like they did every other playoff year.
• Phil Hoops August 18, 2009 at 1:59 pm

  Technically, Francoeur has 10 home runs as well, but he didn’t spend a full season in New York. It’s a shame to see a team that only a year ago was so close to a championship regress. Hopefully, when fully recovered they can make a run next year, but who knows at this point.
  • theonlymaskman August 18, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    When the recovered return, will they be truly recovered? Right now, the only injured core player with real expectation of returning in top form is David Wright. Omar has waited too long to begin repairing this team. A mgmt overhaul is overdue.
• the nick August 18, 2009 at 3:14 pm

  I still get creeps when I hear Art Howe’s name. He was awful and I still cant believe we fired Valentine for this guy.
• theonlymaskman August 18, 2009 at 4:29 pm

  What are we waiting for? I’m tired of the waiting game. The change is overdue. Omar’s “wait and see” is a fool’s game. He wasted too much time and lost too many opportunities to begin fixing this team.
• METS62FAN August 19, 2009 at 11:29 am

  CAPSLOCK = DISABILITY ACCOMODATION
  JOE, YOU SHOULD’VE INCLUDED THIS ’04 ROSTER WHICH I BELIEVE ISN’T MUCH DIFFERENT IN CAPABILITIES FROM THE REPLACEMENT ROSTER WE’RE FORCED TO CHOOSE FROM TODAY:
  2004 New York Mets

  2004 New York Mets Official Logo

  Complete Roster

  RosterSchedule
  # Pitchers Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
  38 James Baldwin 6-03 210 Right Right 1971-07-15
  19 Heath Bell 6-03 230 Right Right 1977-09-29
  34 Kris Benson 6-04 200 Right Right 1974-11-07
  34, 20 Ricky Bottalico 6-01 200 Right Left 1969-08-26
  39 Vic Darensbourg 5-10 165 Left Left 1970-11-13
  35 Mike DeJean 6-02 205 Right Right 1970-09-28
  19 Scott Erickson 6-04 224 Right Right 1968-02-02
  55 Pedro Feliciano 5-10 185 Left Left 1976-08-25
  43 Bartolome Fortunato 6-01 195 Right Right 1974-08-24
  45 John Franco 5-10 185 Left Left 1960-09-17
  13 Matt Ginter 6-01 220 Right Right 1977-12-24
  47 Tom Glavine 6-01 190 Left Left 1966-03-25
  48 Aaron Heilman 6-05 220 Right Right 1978-11-12
  22 Al Leiter 6-03 215 Left Left 1965-10-23
  40 Braden Looper 6-05 225 Right Right 1974-10-28
  49 Orber Moreno 6-03 200 Right Right 1977-04-27
  46 Jose Parra 5-11 160 Right Right 1972-11-28
  36 Grant Roberts 6-03 205 Right Right 1977-09-13
  26 Jae Seo 6-01 215 Right Right 1977-05-24
  32 Mike Stanton 6-01 190 Left Left 1967-06-02
  29 Steve Trachsel 6-04 205 Right Right 1970-10-31
  35 David Weathers 6-03 205 Right Right 1969-09-25
  39 Dan Wheeler 6-03 222 Right Right 1977-12-10
  33 Tyler Yates 6-04 220 Right Right 1977-08-07
  38 Victor Zambrano 6-00 190 Right Both 1975-08-06
  # Catchers Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
  10 Joe Hietpas 6-03 220 Right Right 1979-05-01
  23 Jason Phillips 6-01 180 Right Right 1976-09-27
  6 Tom Wilson 6-03 220 Right Right 1970-12-19
  3 Vance Wilson 5-11 190 Right Right 1973-03-17
  # Infielders Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
  9 Craig Brazell 6-03 210 Right Left 1980-05-10
  10 Brian Buchanan 6-04 230 Right Right 1973-07-21
  17 Wilson Delgado 5-11 165 Right Both 1972-07-15
  12 Danny Garcia 6-01 175 Right Right 1980-04-12
  6 Ricky Gutierrez 6-01 175 Right Right 1970-05-23
  6 Jeff Keppinger 6-01 180 Right Right 1980-04-21
  25 Kaz Matsui 5-10 185 Right Both 1975-10-23
  11 Joe McEwing 5-11 170 Right Right 1972-10-19
  31 Mike Piazza 6-03 197 Right Right 1968-09-04
  7 Jose Reyes 6-00 160 Right Both 1983-06-11
  9 Ty Wigginton 6-00 210 Right Right 1977-10-11
  5 David Wright 6-00 200 Right Right 1982-12-20
  27 Todd Zeile 6-01 190 Right Right 1965-09-09
  # Outfielders Height Weight Throws Bats Date Of Birth
  44 Mike Cameron 6-01 170 Right Right 1973-01-08
  50 Victor Diaz 6-00 200 Right Right 1981-12-10
  10 Jeff Duncan 6-02 190 Left Left 1978-12-09
  30 Cliff Floyd 6-04 230 Right Left 1972-12-05
  20 Karim Garcia 6-00 200 Left Left 1975-10-29
  15 Richard Hidalgo 6-03 190 Right Right 1975-06-28
  1 Esix Snead 5-10 175 Right Right 1976-06-07
  43 Shane Spencer 5-11 225 Right Right 1972-02-20
  57 Eric Valent 6-00 191 Left Left 1977-04-04
  21 Gerald Williams 6-02 190 Right Right 1966-08-10
  ALL IN ALL THIS SEASON IS ONE THAT’S FOR THE NEGATIVE RECORD BOOKS TO INSINUATE THE FRANCHISE SHOULD’VE BEEN BETTER PREPARED FOT THESE INJURIES IS TANTAMOUNT TO CRITICIZING YOUR NEIGHBOR FOR NOT PREPARING FOR A VOLCANO ERUPTION IN MANHATTAN. CONSIDER THIS: THE 4 PLAYER CORE ONLY MISSED A COMBINED TOTAL OF 9 GAMES IN ’08 & 41 GAMES IN ’07. TO ANTICIPATE DELGADO’S ABSENCE FOR 70+ GAMES ADDED TO BELTRAN’S 60+ & REYES’ 50+ IS DISENGENUOUS AS WELL AS LUDICROUS. THERE ARE PUNDITS (TIERNEY)BLAMING AGE, REDICULOUS, OF THE 11 PLAYERS CURRENTLY ON THE D/L AS OF TODAY, ONLY 3 ARE OVER 33 (DELGADO,CORA,WAGNER) & OF THOSE ONLY DELGADO WAS COUNTED ON FOR SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS. PERHAPS CUESING KARMA FOR RETRIBUTION FOR SUCH GOOD FORTUNE/HEALTH FOR SO LONG IS TRULY THE ONLY RECOURSE. THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE FROM ’04 IS WITH THAT ROSTER YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE EXPECTED MORE ESP CONSIDERING AGE FACTOR.